The Saliency of Political Cleavages and the “Dark Sides” of Social Capital: Evidence From Spain

Abstract

This article explores the effects that a salient political center—periphery cleavage has on the structure (social networks) and outcomes (political attitudes) of social capital. The comparison of different regions within the same country supports the thesis that social capital is a reflection of the context in which it takes place. In this framework, social capital undermines equal representation of citizens’ identities. Second, political fragmentation is reproduced by the existence of more bonding than bridging social capital. Finally, it allows for the identification of scenarios in which involvement in informal social networks leads to both positive and negative consequences for citizens’ attitudes toward politics.